1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a telescoping tower and method of manufacturing same and, in particular, to a portable telescoping tower system whose mast sections may be manufactured from flat sheet stock.
2. Description of Related Art
Telescoping tower systems are known from the prior art, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,786,854. While these tower systems have demonstrated that it is possible to construct a portable, simultaneous expansion system, in practice they have been thought to require extruded square tube sections because of the relatively high degree of dimensional tolerance required for the sections to nest closely together when in the retracted position and extend in a smooth and straight manner. Since extrusion is a costly process, a more economical mast section construction method is needed, which maintains or improves on straightness and dimensional tolerance. Moreover, the particular method of orienting the pulleys in the tower system built from the '854 patent has also caused problems in efficient construction and operation, in both the cable system used to extend the mast sections, and in the cable system used to synchronize relative movement between adjacent mast sections.